Blood conservation techniques in orthopaedic surgery

In summary, reduction of blood loss and coincidental decrease in the number of blood transfusions is now of paramount importance in orthopaedic surgery. Methods to reduce blood loss include preoperative planning, hypotensive anesthesia, and meticulous surgical technique. If transfusion is necessary, autologous replacement is always preferable. Overall, the goals in blood conservation in surgery are first to decrease the amount of blood lost, and second to be sensible in replacement of this loss.